Hispanic Contractors Association de Tejas to host safety summit

The Hispanic Contractors Association de Tejas (HCAT) has announced “The Construction Safety and Health Summit,” a regional event structured to train, educate, and promote heightened awareness of job site safety.

The event, focused on tangible solutions to improve current best industry practices, will take place on Sept.15-17, 2011, at the Mesquite Convention Center Hampton Inn & Suites located in Mesquite, Texas.

The Summit, presented in partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Region VI, Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Richland College / Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) OSHA Education Center, Compacion Foundation, and the U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association (USHCA), offers an exceptional opportunity for men and women employed in the construction industry to receive comprehensive training critical to their safety and survival on the daily job site.

When asked about the importance of this Summit, Javier Arias, Chairman and CEO of HCAT, stated, “We are so very proud to be afforded the opportunity to host this regional event. So many steps have been taken to reduce and prevent workplace injuries and fatalities, but, when you see the current statistics, you recognize we must continue to look for additional solutions to improve current efforts.”

Arias also stated, “We have full support and commitment of OSHA Regional as well as our many education partners to make this event meaningful for the attendees and allow each individual to be extremely successful in implementing the knowledge gained from attendance into practical application in the field, where safety truly counts.”

Current industry safety statistics indicate that the construction industry is plagued by three deaths in the workplace every day. Hispanic contractors account for two of those fatalities. Unfortunately, the state of Texas has one of the most dismal safety records in the country.

To provide the tools necessary to a safe workplace environment, the HCAT’s safety summit will provide relevant educational workshops, subject-matter expert speakers, and numerous forums to address current deficiencies and discuss solutions for best safety practices, construction accident avoidance, as well as discussions regarding current fatalities data, top job site violations, and overall safety issues relevant to Latino workers. The Summit will also feature an introduction to the HCAT/OSHA Marathon Training Seminar and a one-day Expo featuring industry-relevant exhibitors. The Expo will be open to the general public.

A major component of the Summit’s agenda are the two eight-hour accredited course offerings. The OSHA Education Center at UTA will provide “Introduction to Safety and Health Management” (OSHA 7500) and TEEX will provide “Fall Hazard Awareness in Construction” (OSHA 7405). These courses are included as part of the Summit registration.

Arias further expressed, “We are most hopeful that the findings, conclusions, and plans of action that result from this Summit will prompt events of a similar type throughout the United States. We are additionally hopeful that these outcomes will contribute to the creation of a National Construction Safety and Health Summit, an event needed by construction workers across our great nation.”